1. Field of the Present Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to an exhaust valve assembly, and more specifically, to an exhaust valve assembly for a vehicle exhaust system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mostly every vehicle includes a combustion engine having an exhaust system. The exhaust system typically includes exhaust pipes for directing a flow of exhaust gas from an engine to various exhaust system components, such as a muffler and a resonator.
Some exhaust systems do not perform optimally. For instance, the flow of exhaust gas passing through the exhaust system may generate undesirable acoustic noise, such as low-frequency noise. In these situations, the exhaust system may require specific tuning to attenuate the undesirable acoustic noise.
An exhaust valve can be incorporated into the exhaust system to attenuate the undesirable acoustic noise. In an example, the exhaust valve is designed to control the flow of exhaust gas passing through the exhaust system by a spring, which is configured to bias a valve plate or vane against the flow of the exhaust gas. In doing so, the exhaust valve provides variable backpressure against the flow of exhaust gas, thereby attenuating the acoustic noise.
It has been found, however, that some exhaust valves have several disadvantages. For instance, the exhaust valve may be difficult to manufacture and maintain. In particular, the spring, the vane, and perhaps one or more other exhaust valve components may be permanently installed within the architecture of the exhaust valve. For at least this reason, in some instances, it may thus be difficult to access the exhaust system components for purposes of maintenance, to replace a component, and/or the like. In addition, the exhaust valve may be limited in application, and may be non-adjustable in various clearance situations. This is due, at least in part, to the exhaust valve being permanently integrated as part of the exhaust system.